Adjustable back rest



Dec. 12, 1950 S. R. FREASIER ETAL ADJUSTABLE BACK REST Filed NOV. 15,1946 6 S M a m o o w o m N o o m 8 ON a m m w, 2 M, r b 9 H? 5 wR 9 7 mmW /Q o /7 2 u Y l B AS ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1950 UN! E D" S TAT fADJUSTABLE BACK REST Stella R. Freasier, Phoenix, and Alfred W.

Gressinger, Florence, Aria Application November 15, 1946, Serial No.709,996

2 Claims. 1-

This invention is a back rest or pad to be mounted upon the uprightchair back and-to function as a cushion support for the back of theoccupant in a manner to afford comfort to the occupant and to hold theback and spine in a proper restful position.

In accordance with our invention, b the use of a back rest contemplatedthereby, chairs and seats, including typists chairs, may be readilyconverted into posture chairs for all practical purposes, the use of ourback rest as an auxiliary back for the chair preventing slumping andcausing a-person to assume an erect position with consequent materialdecrease in fatigue.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide aback rest which will supple-ment the supportin action of the backs ofchairs, automobile seats, and-the like and will follow closely theprinciples of posture seating A further object of the present inventionis to.

provide a back rest which, while simple in construction and easilyapplied to practically any type of chair or seat, is, at the same time,capable of maximum adjustment and as conditions of use may suggest orrequire,

The invention together with its objects and ad vantages will be bestunderstood by reading the following detailed description with referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure-1 is a front elevational view of a back rest embodying thefeatures of our invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof; and

Figure 3' is a rear elevational view of, theback rest.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, it will be seen that inaccordance with our invention, there is provided a pair of straps 5-5that have their upper portions bent to form hooks 8 for engagement overthe back of a chair or seat. To prevent marring or scratching orotherwise injuring the article of furniture to which the back rest isapplied, straps 5 have the hook equipped sides thereof provided withfacings l of felt or other suitable material. The hook-equipped straps 5serve as an attaching means for a resilient, dimensionally adjustableback rest indicated generally b the reference numeral 8.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the back rest 8comprises a pair of straps 99 which have their lower ends reversely bentas at Ill to provide extensions H for direct attachment to theaforementioned straps 5 in a manner hereinafter more specifically setforth.

The straps 9-9 of the back rest are connected together through themedium of a plurality of longitudinally extensible resilient strips 52.These strips :2 provide a comfortable support for, the shouldersandupper portionof the body of the chair occupant and are arranged invertically spaced relationship asshown, and may be longitudinally curvedif desired.

Each resilient strip [2,, comprises asection l3 that, atone end issecured b bolt and. nut means orother fastening element Mto one of thestraps .9 and a complemental section l5 that is similarly secured as at-Hz to the other strap 9.

For, securing the sections l3 and 15 of a strip 12 at, the desiredposition 1 of longitudinal adjustment, strip section I3 is providedwith-aplural-ity of apertures I? and strip section l5-is provided with alongitudinal slot l8 to accommodate a bolt and nut assembly l9.-

For attachin 'the back rest to the straps 5 and forsecuring the backrest {hat the desired position of vertical adjustment with respect tothe straps 5.,- the attaching extensions, it are provided with aplurality; of apertures for registry with longitudinal slots 2,!provided in. the lower portions of the straps 5;toaccommodate bolt-,andwing nut assemblies 22.-

The back rest 8; will have a, tendency to flex forwardly with respect tothe attaching straps 5, and if desired, the forward position of; thebackrest 8 with respect to the straps 5-, may, be, adjusted through-themedium of bolt and jam nut assemblies 2%, thebolts oiwvhichassembliespass through-the slots 2,! of strapsfiandopenings provided-therefor inthe lower portions ofthe straps 9. Straps S and the attaching portionsof stops 24 are complementarily provided with longitudinal rows ofapertures to accommodate the assemblies 25. Manifestly, the stops 24will engage the upper portions of the straps 5 for limiting the movementof the back rest 8 rearwardly. In this connection, it will be noted thatwith stops 24 in contact with straps 5, the bolt and nut assemblies 28may be adjusted for securing the back rest 8 against flexin toward oraway from the straps 5 when it is desired to eliminate all or any partof the spring action of the back rest.

Also, if any additional spring tension is desired, resort may be had tospring straps 26. These straps 26 have arcuate portions that rest on thefree arms of stops 24 and straight, apertured attaching portions throughthe medium of which and the aforementioned bolt and nut assemblies 25,the auxiliary springs 26 may be secured at the desired position ofadjustment on the straps 9. Manifestly, as the back rest 8 flexesrearwardly or in the direction of the straps 5,

springs 26 will engage the straps 5 and exert a force on the back rest 8tending to urge the latter forwardly in opposition to the weight of theback of the occupant of the chair.

If desired, the straps 55 may be secured at the desired position oflateral adjustment with respect to one another through the medium of astretch bar 21. This bar 21, for illustrative purposes, is shown asconsisting of a pair of complemental sections 28, 29. Section 28 isbolted or otherwise secured to one of the straps 5 and section 29 issimilarly secured at the desired position of adjustment lengthwise ofthe other strap 5. Section 28 has its free end provided with a series ofopenings and section 29 is provided with a slot co-acting with theopenings for accommodating a nut and bolt assembly 30 through the mediumof which the sections 28, 29 are secured at the desired position ofadjustment and consequently straps 55 are secured at the desiredposition of lateral adjustment with respect to one another.

The bar 21 will also be desirable when the back rest is used inconnection with typists chairs which generally embody but a single barfor the back rest proper of such chair, and on other forms of chairswhich generally have but a single vertical bar as a part of the backrest thereof.

When the back rest is used in conjunction with ladder back chairs andchair of similar construction, a cross bar 3| may be employed. This bar3| is similar to the bar 2'! except that the free ends of the sectionsof bar 3| are provided with a series of openings 32 for selectiveregistry with the slots 2| in the straps 5 to accommodate bolt and winnut assemblies 33, and in such a manner that the free terminals of thebar 3| may project laterally beyond the straps 5 so as to engage theside uprights of a chair back and thus cooperate with the hooks 6 insupporting the straps 5 in proper position on the back of such type ofchair.

It will also be apparent that if desired, a slipover cover (not shown)may be used in conjunction with the back rest, the back rest being ofsuch a construction as to readily permit of such a cover being placedthereover and over the back of the chair with which the back rest isbeing used.

As should be apparent from the foregoing, when in use the back rest willclosely follow the principles of posture seating and function to convertthe chair in conjunction with which it is used into a posture chair forall practical purposes.

Also the back rest of this invention, a is believed to be manifest,provides a ventilated space between the back of the user and the back ofthe chair against which the user would normally rest, all to the greatercomfort and efiiciency of the occupant of the chair.

It will be also understood that the several components of the back restmay be constructed from spring steel, plain band or fiat iron of thesize /8" x 1" or any other resilient material as will provide thedesired sprin tension between the back rest proper and the hook assemblyfor supporting the back rest proper in position on the back of the chairor seat in conjunction with which the posture back rest is to be used.

Although we have herein shown a preferred form of the invention, we arenevertheless aware that various changes may be made therein within thescope of the claims hereto appended.

What we claim is:

1. An adjustable back rest comprising a pair of straps having theirupper portions bent to form hooks to engage over the back of a chair orseat, a second pair of straps having their lower portions reversely bentand adapted to be secured to the first mentioned straps, and a pluralityof resilient strips supported by the second pair of straps providing acushioned support for the back of the chair occupant.

2. A back rest comprising straps having their upper portions formed toprovide hooks to engage over the back of a chair or seat, at least onelongitudinally adjustable cross bar connecting said straps together inlaterally adjusted position with respect to each other, and anadjustable back rest proper resiliently secured to the straps.

STELLA R. FREASIER.

ALFRED W. GRESSINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,039,053 Harper Sept. 17, 19121,215,467 Bearfield Feb. 13, 1917 1,429,390 William Sept. 19, 19221,530,954 Panagopulos Mar. 24, 1925 2,060,298 Galley Nov. 10, 1936

